JP2017131018A - Charger - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique capable of securing sufficient power to an electric vehicle battery with a reduced electricity fee, in a charger for charging a plurality of batteries respectively loaded on a plurality of vehicles using power supplied from an external power supply.SOLUTION: A charger 1 includes: a storage unit 13 which stores information about an inexpensive midnight power fee zone supplied from a system power; a power information acquisition unit 14 which acquires a use history of power of each of a plurality of vehicles A, B; and a control unit 11 which sets a charging schedule for each of the plurality of vehicles A, B, to execute timer charging control to charge a plurality of batteries 43 according to the set charging schedule. The control unit 11 allocates to the midnight power fee zone in order from a vehicle in which integrated power consumption in a predetermined past period is the largest to the smallest according to the charging schedule.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a charging device, and more particularly to a charging device that charges a plurality of batteries mounted on each of a plurality of vehicles using electric power supplied from an external power source.

  In an electric vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, a battery mounted on the vehicle is charged using electric power supplied from an external system power supply. Hereinafter, such charging is also referred to as “external charging”. In external charging, various techniques related to timer charging control for charging a vehicle-mounted battery of an electric vehicle according to a charging schedule have been proposed (see, for example, JP 2010-288317 A (Patent Document 1)).

  By executing the timer charging control, the vehicle-mounted battery can be charged in a desired time zone. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the electricity bill by performing charging at a time when the electricity bill is low, such as at midnight.

JP 2010-288317 A

  With the spread of electric vehicles in recent years, for example, at home, there is a situation where timer charging is performed for a plurality of batteries respectively mounted on a plurality of electric vehicles. Generally, the power supply capability of a household charging device is lower than the power supply capability of a commercial charging device.

  When performing charging control for multiple in-vehicle batteries using a charging device that has a relatively low power supply capacity, if you attempt to charge all the in-vehicle batteries at the same time, charging will be limited due to the limitation of the power supply capacity. The time required can be long. Therefore, there is a possibility that the charging of all on-vehicle batteries cannot be completed in a time zone where the electricity bill is cheap. As a result, in an electric vehicle that has not been fully charged, there is a possibility that sufficient electric power suitable for the usage mode of the electric vehicle cannot be secured.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric charge in a charging device for charging a plurality of batteries respectively mounted on a plurality of vehicles using electric power supplied from an external power source. It is providing the technique which can ensure sufficient electric power for a battery, reducing this.

  A charging device according to an aspect of the present invention charges a plurality of batteries respectively mounted on a plurality of vehicles using electric power supplied from an external power source. The charging device includes a storage unit that stores information on an inexpensive time zone of power supplied from an external power source, an acquisition unit that acquires usage history of each of the plurality of vehicles, and a charging schedule for each of the plurality of vehicles. And a control unit that executes timer charging control that sets and charges a plurality of batteries according to the set charging schedule. A control part allocates to the said cheap time zone in an order from the charging schedule of the vehicle with the big accumulated usage of electric power in the past predetermined period.

  A vehicle with a larger accumulated usage amount of power in a predetermined period in the past is more likely to have a larger usage amount of power even after the current timer charging control. Therefore, according to the said structure, a charging schedule is set so that it may charge in an inexpensive time slot | zone in order from the battery mounted in the vehicle with the big accumulated usage of electric power in the past predetermined period. Thus, by preferentially allocating the charging schedule of a vehicle with a large accumulated usage amount of power to an inexpensive time zone, it is possible to secure sufficient power for the battery of the vehicle while reducing the electricity bill.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a charging system including a charging device according to an embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the structure of a charging device and an electric vehicle. It is a figure for demonstrating the process for determining a priority in the timer charge control in embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the charging schedule of the vehicle set in embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the timer charge control in embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the charging schedule of the vehicle set in the modification of embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the timer charge control in the modification of embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will not be repeated.

[Embodiment]
<Configuration of charging system>
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a charging system including a charging device according to the present embodiment. This charging system includes two vehicles A and B and a charging device 1. Vehicles A and B are electrically connected to charging device 1 by charging cable 2. The charging device 1 is a charging device installed at home, for example, and supplies electric power from a system power source (external power source) 3 such as a commercial power source to the vehicles A and B.

  Each of the vehicles A and B is an electric vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle (so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle), an electric vehicle, or a fuel vehicle. The number of vehicles is not particularly limited as long as it is plural, and may be three or more.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the charging device 1 and the vehicles A and B. As shown in FIG. Since the configurations of the vehicles A and B are the same, the configuration of the vehicle A will be representatively described in FIG. The vehicle A includes an inlet 41, a charger 42, a battery 43, a monitoring unit 44, and an electronic control unit (ECU) 45.

  A plug (not shown) of the charging cable 2 is connected to the inlet 41. In a state where the plug is connected to the inlet 41, AC power from the charging device 1 can be supplied to the vehicle A via the charging cable 2.

  The charger 42 includes, for example, a rectifier circuit that converts AC power from the charging device 1 into DC power, and a converter (both not shown) that boosts or lowers the DC power converted by the rectifier circuit. The The electric power boosted or stepped down to a desired voltage by the charger 42 is supplied to the battery 43.

  The battery 43 is a power storage element configured to be chargeable / dischargeable. The battery 43 includes, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery or a lead storage battery, or a capacitor such as an electric double layer capacitor.

  The monitoring unit 44 includes a voltage sensor and a current sensor (both not shown). Monitoring unit 44 detects voltage VB of battery 43 and current IB input / output to / from battery 43 and outputs the detection result to ECU 45.

  The ECU 45 incorporates a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory (not shown), and based on information stored in the memory or information from each sensor (not shown), the charger 42 and each device (motor not shown). Drive inverter, etc.). Further, the ECU 45 calculates an SOC (State Of Charge) of the battery 43 based on information from the monitoring unit 44.

  The charging device 1 is realized by a microcomputer including a CPU and a memory (not shown). The charging device 1 includes a control unit 11, an operation unit 12, and a storage unit 13.

  Control unit 11 performs external charging of battery 43 mounted on vehicles A and B using electric power supplied from system power supply 3 (see FIG. 1). More specifically, the control unit 11 controls the opening / closing of the relays 2A and 2B included in the charging cable 2 and sends various information related to external charging to and from the ECU 45 of the vehicles A and B. To send and receive via.

<Timer charging control>
Timer charge control is an example of main control related to external charging. In the timer charging control, a charging schedule is set for each of the vehicles A and B, and the battery 43 is charged according to the set charging schedule. The charging schedule is determined based on the time when the vehicles A and B are scheduled to leave after the battery 43 is charged (hereinafter also referred to as “scheduled departure time”).

  The operation unit 12 includes a touch panel, for example, and accepts a user operation for setting the scheduled departure time. The scheduled departure time may be set by an external device (not shown) such as a user's smartphone instead of the operation unit 12.

  Alternatively, the scheduled departure time may be set based on information from the data center 5 connected to the charging device 1 via a communication network. The data center 5 includes a computer (not shown), and transmits / receives various information related to timer charging control to / from the charging device 1. For example, the data center 5 transmits to the charging device 1 information related to a time zone where the electricity rate is low, such as midnight (hereinafter also referred to as “midnight rate zone”).

  The storage unit 13 stores information related to the late-night price band received from the data center 5. However, it is not essential for the charging device 1 to receive information regarding the late-night charge zone from the data center 5, and this information may be stored in advance in the storage unit 13 when the charging device 1 is shipped from the factory, for example.

  Here, with the spread of electric vehicles in recent years, there is a situation in which timer charging control of a plurality of electric vehicles is executed using a household charging device. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a situation may occur in which timer charging control of the vehicles A and B is executed from the charging device 1. The power supply capability of the home charging device 1 is lower than the power supply capability of a commercial charging device.

  When the timer charging control of the vehicles A and B is executed using such a charging system having a relatively low power supply capability, if the batteries 43 of the vehicles A and B are charged at the same time in the midnight charge zone, the power supply is performed. Due to the limitation of capacity, the time required for charging (hereinafter also referred to as “charging time”) may be longer than when charging one of the batteries 43 of the vehicles A and B. Therefore, there is a possibility that the charging of the batteries 43 of both the vehicles A and B cannot be completed in the midnight fee zone. As a result, a vehicle that has not been fully charged may not be able to secure sufficient power at the subsequent scheduled departure time.

  Therefore, in the timer charging control according to the present embodiment, a charging schedule for a vehicle having a large cumulative amount of power used in the past predetermined period (hereinafter also simply referred to as “power consumption”) among vehicles A and B. Adopting a configuration that allocates to the late-night fee zone in order. In other words, the charging schedule is set so that charging is performed in order from the battery 43 mounted on the vehicle having a large accumulated usage amount of electric power in the past predetermined period in order in the late-night charge zone.

  The charging device 1 further includes a usage history acquisition unit 14. The ECUs 45 of the vehicles A and B transmit the power usage history of the vehicles A and B (more specifically, the power usage calculated based on the usage history) to the charging device 1. The usage history acquisition unit 14 acquires the usage history of electric power from the vehicles A and B. And the control part 11 determines the vehicle which gives priority to the charge in a late-night charge zone based on the acquired usage history. Hereinafter, the process for determining the priority will be described in detail using an example of the usage history of the vehicles A and B.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing processing for determining priority in timer charging control according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4 and 6 described later, the horizontal axis indicates time.

  In order to determine the priority, for example, usage histories of the vehicles A and B on a certain day are acquired. On this day, it is assumed that the vehicle A has traveled for 3 hours on the forward path from 7 o'clock to 10 o'clock and 3 hours on the return path from 18 o'clock to 21 o'clock. In addition, it is assumed that the vehicle A is parked in a parking lot on the go from 10:00 to 18:00. It is assumed that the vehicle A is parked at the user's home at other times. In this case, the time when the power of the battery 43 of the vehicle A is mainly used is 6 hours, which is the traveling time of the vehicle A.

  On the other hand, it is assumed that the vehicle B travels for 2 hours from 8 o'clock to 10 o'clock, 1 hour from 11 o'clock to 12 o'clock, and 1 hour from 14 o'clock to 15 o'clock. In addition, it is assumed that the vehicle B is parked in a parking lot outside the office from 10:00 to 11:00 and from 12:00 to 14:00. It is assumed that the vehicle B is parked at the user's home at other times. In this case, the time during which the electric power of the battery 43 of the vehicle B is mainly used is 4 hours, which is the traveling time of the vehicle B.

  Each of the vehicles A and B calculates the amount of power used (cumulative power usage) for the day. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the travel time of the vehicle A is longer than the travel time of the vehicle B, and the power usage amount of the vehicle A is larger than the power usage amount of the vehicle B. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the charging schedule of vehicle A is preferentially assigned to the late-night toll zone.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a charging schedule for vehicles A and B set in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that the scheduled departure time of the vehicle A is 7 o'clock and the charging time of the vehicle A is 6 hours. On the other hand, the scheduled departure time of the vehicle B is 8:00, and the charging time of the vehicle B is 4 hours. In the present embodiment, the late-night fee zone is 8 hours from 23:00 to 7:00.

  First, the charging schedule of the vehicle A having the highest priority is assigned to the midnight charge zone. Specifically, 23:00, which is the start time of the midnight fee zone, is set as the charging start time of the vehicle A. Then, the charging completion scheduled time of the vehicle A becomes 5 o'clock 6 hours after the charging start time (see allocation order 1). While vehicle A is being charged, vehicle B is not charged.

  Subsequently, a charging schedule for the vehicle B having a relatively low priority is set. Specifically, 2 hours from the earliest time (5 o'clock) in the remaining time zone of the midnight charge zone to the end time (7 o'clock) of the midnight fee zone is assigned to the charging schedule of the vehicle B (in order of assignment) 1). Furthermore, 1 hour from the end time of the late-night toll zone (7 o'clock) to the scheduled departure time of vehicle B (8 o'clock) is allocated to the charging schedule for vehicle B (see allocation order 2). The charging time of the vehicle B is 4 hours, and the charging of the battery 43 of the vehicle B cannot be completed only by the time (3 hours) allocated according to the allocation order 1 and 2. Therefore, 1 hour from 22:00 to 23:00 is allocated to the charging schedule of the vehicle B prior to the start of the late-night toll zone (see allocation order 3).

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the power usage history acquired on a certain day is used, but the usage history acquisition period (the period used for calculating the power usage amount) is not particularly limited. This period can be set to an arbitrary period such as several days, one week, or one month, but is preferably common to all vehicles. This is because the power consumption can be accurately compared by doing so. However, this period may be different for each vehicle. For example, a period from the previous external charging to the current external charging can be used. In addition, for example, it is possible to acquire the usage history of the vehicles A and B again by user operation and to determine the priority again.

  Furthermore, here, an example in which the power consumption calculated by the vehicles A and B is transmitted to the charging device 1 as the usage history of the vehicles A and B has been described. However, the detection results of the monitoring unit 44 (voltage VB and current IB of the battery 43) may be transmitted from the vehicles A and B to the charging device 1, and the charging device 1 may calculate the amount of power used from the detection results.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining timer charging control in the present embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 to be described later is called from the main routine every predetermined period or whenever a predetermined condition is satisfied (for example, when the power consumption changes or the scheduled departure time changes). Executed. Each step (abbreviated as S) included in these flowcharts is basically realized by software processing by the control unit 11 of the charging apparatus 1, but part or all of the steps are created in the control unit 11. It may be realized by hardware (electronic circuit). Hereinafter, the control unit 11 and the usage history acquisition unit 14 of the charging device 1 are referred to as the charging device 1 without distinction.

  In S <b> 10, the charging device 1 acquires the power usage amount of each vehicle A, B in the past predetermined period. Since this processing content has been described in detail with reference to FIG. 3, the description will not be repeated.

  In S20, the charging device 1 acquires scheduled departure times of the vehicles A and B. In the example shown in FIG. 4, 7:00 is acquired as the scheduled departure time of the vehicle A, and 8:00 is acquired as the scheduled departure time of the vehicle B.

  In S30, the charging device 1 calculates the charging time for each of the vehicles A and B. This charging time is calculated using a predetermined map or calculation formula, and the current SOC value of the batteries 43 of the vehicles A and B, the target value of the SOC after charging, and the power supply capability (or unit time) of the charging device 1. Per charge). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the charging time of the vehicle A is calculated as 6 hours, and the charging time of the vehicle B is calculated as 4 hours.

  In S40, the charging device 1 determines the priority of the vehicle in the descending order of the power usage acquired in S10. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the power usage amount of the vehicle A is larger than the power usage amount of the vehicle B, so that the priority of the vehicle A is determined to be higher than the priority of the vehicle B.

  In S50, the charging device 1 assigns to the late-night charge zone in order from the charging schedule of the vehicle with the highest priority (assignment order 1). In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the charging schedule of the vehicle A is set so that the battery 43 of the vehicle A having the highest priority is charged from 23:00 to 5:00. Furthermore, the charging schedule of the vehicle B is set so that the battery 43 of the vehicle B having a relatively low priority is charged from 5:00 to 7:00.

  In S <b> 60, the charging device 1 sequentially assigns the time zone after the midnight fee zone in order from the charging schedule of the vehicle with the highest priority (assignment order 2). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the charging schedule of the vehicle B is set so that the battery 43 of the vehicle B is charged from 7:00 to 8:00.

  In S <b> 70, the charging device 1 assigns the vehicle to the time zone before the midnight fee zone in order from the charging schedule of the vehicle with the highest priority (assignment order 2). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the charging schedule of the vehicle B is set so that the battery 43 of the vehicle B is charged from 22:00 to 23:00.

  In S80, the charging device 1 charges the batteries 43 mounted on the vehicles A and B according to the charging schedule of the vehicles A and B set in S50 to S70.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle is preferentially assigned to the midnight time zone from the charging schedule of the vehicle having a large amount of power usage in the past predetermined period. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the vehicle A that has the largest power usage amount in the past predetermined period (one day) is likely to have a large power usage amount even after the current timer charging control. Therefore, by preferentially charging the battery 43 of the vehicle A in the midnight time zone, sufficient power can be secured in the battery 43 of the vehicle A at the scheduled departure time of the vehicle A. In this way, it is possible to perform charging that matches the past usage history (and future usage modes) of the vehicles A and B while reducing the electricity bill.

  It should be noted that the high priority of each vehicle can be specified according to a user operation. In this case, the battery is charged in the late-night charge range in order from the battery mounted on the vehicle with the higher priority specified by the user.

[Modification]
In the modification of the present embodiment, an example in which the third vehicle C is charged in addition to the vehicles A and B will be described. It is assumed that the scheduled departure time is not set for the vehicle C. The configuration of charging device 1 and vehicle C according to the modification is the same as the configuration of charging device 1 and vehicles A and B shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and therefore description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the charging schedule set in the modification of the present embodiment. Each condition of the vehicles A and B is the same as the condition described in FIG. The scheduled departure time of the vehicle C is not set, and the charging time of the vehicle C is 2 hours.

  First, as in the above-described embodiment, the power usage amounts of the vehicles A to C in the past predetermined period are compared. In the example shown in FIG. 6, since the power consumption of the vehicle A is the largest, the priority of the vehicle A is determined to be first. It is assumed that the power consumption of the remaining vehicles B and C is substantially equal.

  Next, it is determined whether or not scheduled departure times are set for the vehicles B and C. The priority of the vehicle for which the scheduled departure time is set is determined to be higher than the priority of the vehicle for which the scheduled departure time is not set. In the example shown in FIG. 6, while the scheduled departure time is set for the vehicle B, the scheduled departure time is not set for the vehicle C, so the priority of the vehicle B is determined to be second.

  For the vehicle C for which the scheduled departure time is not set, the magnitude relationship between the current SOC value of the battery 43 and a predetermined value (for example, 50%) is determined. When the SOC is equal to or lower than the predetermined value, the battery 43 of the vehicle is immediately charged. When the SOC of the battery 43 of the vehicle C is 40% and below a predetermined value, for example, the battery 43 of the vehicle C is charged between 15:00 and 17:00. On the other hand, when the SOC is higher than a predetermined value, a charging schedule for the vehicle is set. When the SOC of the battery 43 of the vehicle C is 60% and higher than a predetermined value, the battery 43 of the vehicle C is charged, for example, from 20:00 to 22:00. In addition, it is preferable that the said user can change according to the usage condition of a vehicle.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for illustrating timer charging control in a modification of the present embodiment. Since the processes of S110 to S130 are the same as the processes of S10 to S30 (see FIG. 5) in the embodiment, the description will not be repeated. Time, SOC, etc. are acquired and charging time is calculated.

  In S132, it is determined whether there is a vehicle for which the scheduled departure time is not set and the SOC is equal to or less than a predetermined value. When such a vehicle exists (YES in S132), charging device 1 immediately starts charging battery 43 of the vehicle (S134). If such a vehicle does not exist (NO in S132), the process proceeds to S140.

  In S140, the charging device 1 determines the priority of the vehicle in the descending order of the power consumption acquired in S10. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the priority of the vehicle B is determined to be first.

  In S <b> 142, the charging device 1 determines the priority of the vehicles in the order from the earliest scheduled departure time for the vehicles having the same power consumption amount among the remaining vehicles. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the priority of the vehicle B is determined to be second.

  Since the process of S150-S180 is equivalent to the process of S50-S80 in Embodiment 1, description is not repeated.

  As described above, according to the modification of the present embodiment, charging is immediately started for the vehicle C for which the scheduled departure time is not set. Thereby, even if the vehicle C starts early, sufficient electric power can be secured in the battery 43.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description of the embodiments but by the scope of claims for patent, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the scope of claims for patent and all modifications within the scope.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Charging apparatus, 11 Control part, 12 Operation part, 13 Storage part, 14 Usage history acquisition part, 2 Charging cable, 2A, 2B relay, 3 system power supply, 41 Inlet, 42 Charger, 43 Battery, 44 Monitoring unit, 45 ECU, 5 data center, A, B, C vehicles.

Claims (1)

A charging device for charging a plurality of batteries respectively mounted on a plurality of vehicles using electric power supplied from an external power source,
A storage unit for storing information on an inexpensive time zone of power supplied from the external power source;
An acquisition unit for acquiring a power usage history of each of the plurality of vehicles;
A control unit that sets a charging schedule for each of the plurality of vehicles and executes timer charging control for charging the plurality of batteries according to the set charging schedule;
The said control part is a charging device which allocates to the said cheap time slot | zone in order from the charging schedule of a vehicle with the big accumulated usage of electric power in the past predetermined period.

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